


The Kiss-It-Better Incident

by calibratingentropy



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alternate Medical Treatment, Alternate Universe, Captivity, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Torture, Infection, Life-threatening Wounds/Infection, Literally Kissing It Better, M/M, Miscommunication, Quad-sexed Ovoviviparous Marsupial Galra, puss - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 14:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15293175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calibratingentropy/pseuds/calibratingentropy
Summary: When actual medical care is denied to test Champion's strength, Ulaz resorts to using the healing compounds in his own saliva in a last ditch effort to save the patient that he knows he shouldn't care about as much as he's coming to.Meanwhile, Shiro is willing to grasp at any opportunity to stay alive, and utterly bemused that kissing it better is a thing for Galra. Getting kissed by one of his captors is much better than it probably should be.





	The Kiss-It-Better Incident

**Author's Note:**

> Another addition to the Quad-sexed Ovoviviparous Marsupial Galra AU cluster. In this case, this fic could connect to most AUs in the cluster, at least where Shiro ends up a prisoner and gets his facial scar. 
> 
> Special thanks to my betas: Geist, Pterodotyl, PictoJournalist, RahneDrop and dani_the_owl.
> 
> Fast Facts in this AU:  
> -Kissing is not sexual to Galra, and is instead very calming.  
> -The mouth/tongue are packed with specialized receptors that allow Galra to assess health and emotional state through mouth contact. This works best with other Galra and mouth-to-mouth contact, but they can also at least get a baseline from most other species.  
> -Galra saliva is somewhat unique in the universe for its healing properties. The saliva glands are directly connected to the lymphatic system, and thus saliva carries high concentrations of antimicrobial antibodies and also other immune cells. Mouth bacteria are low, compared to other species, and outside of the mouth, the immune cells in saliva will start attacking them. So licking a wound will perform an antiseptic function, and also usually encourage healing. Exchanging kisses boosts the immune system in Galra, and can pass on immunity to pathogens.

Shiro’s whole face hurt. Three fights ago, a tailed opponent had gotten Shiro across the nose, and it hadn’t healed. Worse, there was swelling, and Shiro had woken himself up shaking and virtually blind because of the pressure.

Infection. Shiro had tried so hard _not_ to die. Would a simple infection really be what killed him? One of the medics had started to apply something, but had been ordered not to by… Shiro didn’t know, but the bent old woman was scarier than every single opponent he’d had to kill so far. Did they want him to die? Was it another experiment to see how he reacted to torture and misery? 

Didn’t matter. He had to try to take care of it. Wash it, steal antibiotics (fat chance of that), or... Blindly, Shiro stumbled to the door of his cell and banged loudly, aggravating some bruises over his right hand. “Water, please! I need water.” 

No response, but he hadn’t really expected any. The captors, the Galra, were needlessly cruel in so many things. What was he gonna do? He couldn’t die here. He couldn’t—

* * *

The prisoner that had earned the name Champion was injured. Ulaz did what he could for prisoners that wouldn't compromise his mission but it was never enough. He was surrounded by despair and the Empire's distorted emphasis on strength left so many suffering without reason. So when Haggar had ordered Champion's infection left untreated, Ulaz had been privately furious but had done nothing. 

He’d hated watching Champion grow sicker by the shift, but he hadn't found a loophole in the orders until now. She’d said last shift that Champion would heal only through natural means or not at all, and analysis had shown Ulaz a familiar strain of bacteria. That simple fact opened up a perfectly natural avenue that Ulaz could try, provided he wasn’t caught sneaking into Champion’s cell. 

Putting the surveillance on loop had been simple and the sentry patrols were timed down to a tick. But Champion suddenly banged on his cell door and demanded water. Ulaz froze, pressing himself back into the shadows for a breathless moment. The sentries at the end of the hall didn’t return, and Champion subsided, giving Ulaz a little hope. He waited another breath to make sure none of the other prisoners had turned their attention outward, and edged to the door. It wasn’t difficult to override the monitoring programs for the cell door, and key it to open back up for him without alarming. 

Ulaz was not prepared for the shivering, red-streaked face before him when the door opened. He froze for a moment too long, but the attempted strike was painless. Champion was at risk of sepsis, if he hadn’t started developing it already. Ulaz might be too late. No, he would _not_ think like that. Instead he allowed himself a brief warble, offering comfort, and held up his supplies. “I have brought water.” 

Champion mumbled something Ulaz didn’t catch and tried to step back. Ulaz caught him when he fell, and carried him into the cell. Scans had shown him that the wound had penetrated into the nasal cavity and looking at it now made Ulaz suspect an abscess in addition to the infection. He explained the situation while he gave Champion water and took off the medic’s mask that was meant precisely to discourage this. "Kisses were for Galra only," was the common wisdom; other species weren’t worthy of the advanced healing compounds in Galra saliva. Foolish wisdom, in Ulaz’s opinion.

While Champion finished the drink, Ulaz licked his claws. He’d cleaned himself as thoroughly as he could before coming here, but best to be safe. Champion squinted at him through swollen-shut eyes, breathing heavily through his mouth, then managed a gravelly question. “What about that woman?”

“There was a loophole in her orders,” Ulaz explained, “no one will argue that what I’m about to do is completely natural and unaided by any medical technology. Unfortunately, draining the abscess and debridement of the necrotic tissue will be painful. Please brace yourself, Champion.” 

Champion flinched. “Don’t call me that.” 

Ulaz could understand the aversion, but he refused to use the prisoner number. “What shall I call you?” 

“Shiro. That’s— Call me Shiro.” 

“Very well. Now I’ll begin.” 

Ulaz didn’t give Shiro a chance to think about what was coming. He dug clawtips into the wound with precision, unable to stop wrinkling his nose at the stench. Shiro screamed, but visibly held himself back from fighting. While pus drained, Ulaz removed what dead tissue he could with his claws. Oh, how Ulaz wished for even a metal scalpel. This was inelegant and the resulting scar might well impair facial muscles or breathing, but at least this would give Shiro a chance to live.

Finally, all that was left was to clean the wound, and some kisses that would hopefully jumpstart healing. This, Ulaz knew he should ask permission for. “May I begin cleaning the wound and kiss you?”

* * *

What? Had Shiro heard that correctly? This medic, and Shiro thought it was the same one as before, was so strange. He was trying to help but now he was asking to kiss him? Was he a creep, or— 

The thought was sudden, and Shiro choked on his laughter. “What, are you going to kiss it better?” 

“That is the intent, Shiro,” the medic said, tone dry and brow furrowed, "compounds in our saliva act as antimicrobials and encourage healing." 

Why not? Shiro didn't know if he could believe the reason. It was silly and a child’s comfort, but maybe he could pretend he wasn’t here, wasn’t almost dying, wasn’t at the mercies of one of his captors. He nodded, and the medic leaned in. 

He licked Shiro’s face first, which was very gross. The medic seemed to think so too, because he promptly spit out the puss and blood, and then went right back to it. Shiro wanted to complain, but this was probably the closest he’d get to a shower for a while, and in spite of the grossness, it felt… not nice, but better. He closed his eyes and let it happen, almost missing the pricks of pain as wounded flesh was aggravated by that surprisingly long tongue. 

Then the medic’s mouth pressed to Shiro’s and he jumped. That wasn’t a kiss-it-better kiss! That was— Nice. It felt nice, even with the taste. When was his last kiss or even hug? When would he get the chance to have something that wasn't violence again? Shiro opened to it, wrapping an arm around the medic’s neck while he kissed back. He’d never kissed someone with sharp teeth before, but the medic knew what he was doing. Shiro didn’t want to let go, and tried to follow when the kiss ended, but the medic was firm. 

He put something in the corner of the cell that looked like water and rations. “Keep hydrated and eat as much as you can. I’ll return when I get the chance.”

* * *

Shiro was stronger than anyone gave him credit for. Only a few shifts and two more visits (Shiro had gotten… enthusiastic about kissing) later and he had improved enough to fight. 

And win. Haggar suspected Ulaz’s involvement in Shiro’s recovery, Ulaz knew, but she hadn’t acted on it. Part of Ulaz feared what it meant for Shiro in the future, but as long as she was pleased, Ulaz could keep reporting on her, and Shiro could stay alive. 

He was on Ulaz’s table now, in pain but alert. This fight had damaged Shiro’s right elbow, but the wound on his face was still closed and showing signs of healing completely. Ulaz hadn’t been forbidden from giving medical care this time, and was working on repairing the joint. 

Shiro was unbound, a risk most wouldn’t take, and smiled crookedly. “What, not gonna kiss it better this time?” 

“This method is more effective, and faster.” Ulaz found himself smiling behind his mask as he finished up with the elbow, in spite of himself. 

“I know,” Shiro said dully and smelling of disappointment, but then reached for Ulaz’s hand. It had been scraped in an altercation with a combative prisoner. 

At the first moist contact, Ulaz couldn’t help a sigh, and didn’t resist when Shiro pulled at his mask. The kiss was soothing, pleasant, and flooded Ulaz’s brain with information about Shiro’s health. His strength and fragility made Ulaz want to steal him away and protect him. Dangerous thoughts. So, reluctantly, Ulaz pulled back from the kiss. 

“This has to be the last time.” As much as he wanted to keep monitoring Shiro’s health like this, it was an act normally reserved for family or very close comrades, and Ulaz couldn’t afford those feelings when he’d probably be forced to do terrible things to the Earthling in the future. 

Shiro kissed him again, taste full of desperation. “I know.”

Neither of them spoke as Ulaz refitted his mask and called for sentries to escort Shiro back to his cell. Ulaz’s only regret was that he couldn’t act on the feelings that urged him to follow.

Not without cause and benefit to his mission, at least. It was worth looking into.


End file.
